Is your startup having a hard time finding that designer with drool-worthy, pixel-perfect visual design chops as well as a deep thorough mastery of user-centered design principles and techniques, including information architecture, user research, interactive writing, and content strategy?

Then hire two people. Or more. Hell, get a whole department. Just because you can play 18 rounds of golf with one club doesn't mean you should.

Sure, this advice isn't for everyone. You're special. Your company/situation/project/product/location/city/infrastructure/language/CEO/whatever is different. You've maxed out a few credit cards and can barely afford to pay yourself, let alone two more employees. Fine. You've got bigger problems than that you "couldn't find a good designer".

Funded? Fuhgeddaboutit. If you've let even one sharp person with expertise in a particular aspect of user experience design walk out the door without an offer, you're simply wasting time. That's what the funding is for.